This Weekend’s Soccer on TV

Serie A joins the rest of the top-flight European League with the first round of their season beginning this weekend.

In a week where he made the cover of Sports Illustrated, only the second non-U.S.-born player to achieve the honor, Mario Balotelli and AC Milan take a trip to recently promoted Hellas Verona on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal eased up some pressure on their club and front office with a dominating mid-week victory in the UEFA Champions League, but they’ll have to quickly get ready for the next match, a London derby at Craven Cottage against Fulham. Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham return home on Sunday with the opportunity to debut their new signings to the home fans at White Hart Lane against Swansea City, who were thoroughly thrashed by Manchester United eight days earlier.

After being substituted at halftime, Lionel Messi is a doubt to start at Malaga on Sunday, with the thought that he may be available off the bench or saved for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup, set to take place at the Nou Camp on Wednesday. Since April, Messi has played the full 90 minutes in just two of 27 games for club and countries. Messi suffered a thigh injury in a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain, and hasn’t been able to fully heal since.

Meanwhile, Neymar could make his starting debut for Barcelona in place of the injured Messi.

Eredivisie was on Goltv today. ESPN Deportes showing Eredivisie tomorrow and Brazilian league tape delay early Sunday. Goltv has live Brazilian and Uruguayan league games Sunday. And yes, I’m a soccer junkie!

Although I’m a Galaxy fan, the game I’m really looking forward to this weekend is Sounders-Timbers Sunday night. 67,000 crazed fans, Dempsey’s home debut, two good teams, bitter rivals, fighting it out for playoff spots; it’s as good as it gets in the MLS and should match the intensity of European derbies.

So, what I want to know is, why is there constant profanity from coaches and players during games (albeit bleeped out) on these NBCSN documentary shows while the league punishes supporters from using similar language? Double standard much?

Ref WAS pretty awful, though he was awful for both sides. A bunch of KC players seemed to have poor matches. Zusi, Saad, Dwyer, Feilhaber, Joseph, Collin, all with multiple poor touches. I love KC’s individual talent especially their depth of talent at every position. It may be blasphemy, but I’m starting to wonder if Vermes is getting the most out of this team.

Xolos got ripped off. The Santos player was clearly offsides. Goal should not have counted. Arriola did the smart thing in my opinion by letting the player run offsides. Unfortunately, the red blew it.